Making the Chamber Style Reed
for Penny-Chanters
October 2001 Update

Original 7 November 2000

---

Introduction

The "chamber" style of reed is one whose complex interior shape is obtained mostly by gouging and sanding rather than by the more common bending processes. One variant of this method is taught by Andreas Rogge, another is illustrated in some detail on the web site of Evertjan t'Hart. I have heard that it was also practiced by the famous Irish pipemaker Leo Rowsome.

Here are adaptations to make such a reed that plays well in Penny-Chanter. It has the benefit for novice reed makers of needing very little cane knowlege to create the proper shape, with a construction that is reasonably safe against permanent collapse due to weather or assembly problems. However it does require some mechanical skill to cut, sand and scrape the cane carefully.

The Penny-Chanter requires its own special staple (the metal tube on which the cane blades are mounted). I sell these ready-to-use, and a free spare is provided with Penny-Chanters that I sell. Dimensions for making your own staples are linked below.

Evertjan's pages linked below can be used as a primary reference, with greatest success for Penny-Chanter (in my experience) by substituting dimensions and variations given on this page. For other chanters the information here may help give some useful ideas if chamber style reeds have been unsatisfactory.

One note, this style of reed may work best over a narrower range of adjustment than the bending-formed reeds. When finishing and fine-tuning, it is probably best to play the reed for 5-10 minutes before assessing its performance, so that the reed is best for the long period of playing when warmed-up rather than for the first few moments at the beginning of a playing or practice session.

References and Updates Tested for Penny-Chanter
October 2001

1. Evertjan t'Hart's Reedmaking Web Site.
• Photos and considerable description of much of the reed making process
2. Diagram for making staple required for Penny-Chanter if not purchasing my staples
• Uses traditional method of making trapezoidal metal sheet then rolling into the cone shape that was used during development of the Penny-Chanter
3. How to roll sheet metal staple from David Daye's educational Bagpipe Page
• Numerous photos of the process of preparing and finishing the rolled conical tube staple.
4. Diagram of cane dimensions tested for Penny-Chanter
• Method suitable for medium to very hard (stiff, dense) cane
• Cane density: tubes may sink 50% to 60% or possibly more of their length into water.
• Slip must be initially thick or else chamber carving will destroy mechanical support, giving loss of tone and performance
• Edges are very thin but not knife edge.
• Slips can be 1/64" wider for hard, stiff cane; 1/64" narrower for soft, flexible cane
5. Carving or gouging chamber steps tested for Penny-Chanter
• Place gouge at uppermost mark and cut as shown towards bottom.
• I use shallow #3 or #5 "sweep" for upper chamber, deeper #7 sweep for lower chambers
• Each step is cut .01" deeper than the level above it
• Steps are irregular to adapt to staple; bottom step is very close (5 mm) to the middle step
• Make gouged areas as near to full width as possible--but do not cut into edges!
6. Sanding the gouged chambers into a smooth interior shape
• Wrap medium to fine paper around cylinder. Move interior back and forth at an angle so that the sanding zone can be precisely located.
• Use wider cylinders for upper end, narrower for lower end. This creates changing internal diameters similar to traditional bend-formed reeds.
• Be careful not to sand the edges thinner! Sand only a few strokes, inspect carefully under good light.
7. Assemble and bind reed
• Put temporary wrap over most of future top of head
• Place head onto staple for overall reed length 3 9/32" to 3 5/16" before optional trimming
• Center carefully to avoid hitting inside of chanter windcap
• Tack tails into position before bindng using drop of superglue on each side of each tail
• Tested overall length for chanter is 3 1/4" after all finishing. +/- up to 1/16" may work.
• Use waxed thread, "artificial sinew" etc.
• Wrap very tight over narrow tail bottom, more relaxed higher where wider cane is not supported
8. Heat-set the shape to reduce weather sensitivity
• Hold reed 4-5 finger widths above small flame
• Rotate and move reed as soon as wax in binding directly above flame melts (2-3 seconds)
• Heat all of binding from bottom up to top wrap
• Let cool 5 minutes then remove temporary binding and scrape
• If edges open
• Partly unwrap upper 1/4" of permanent binding
• Sand edges to narrow the lower half of exposed reed and exposed 1/4"
• Rebind; reed will probably be airtight after finishing
9. First Crude Scraping of the reed
• Initial shape can be carved, scraped or sanded with medium-rough paper #80-#100
• Leave 1/3 to 1/2 original thickness at lips (top)
10. Attach the bridle to control reed shape during finishing
• Wrap thin annealed copper strip .021" (or .025" hobby shop copper) x 1/8" wide
• Pull snug with pliers
• Tighten with care! Squeeze blades together by fingers before tightening bridle with pliers
• Set bridle very snug to close lips almost completely when sanding and scraping
• Ease bridle looser to re-open reed immediately for testing, storage or waiting
11. First attempt to finish the scrape
• Shape of scrape will be a wider more rounded V than traditional reeds due to greater starting thickness of cane slips with this method
• Leave a bark zone on sides all the way to top corners at first
• Bark very narrow, about 0-0.25 mm wide at top corners
• Scrape will need to cut into the cane slightly near bottom of "V" due to starting thickness of cane
12. More views of final scrape
13. Adjusting the scraping and performance
• To scrape sides more, either use knife/razor or else close lips with bridle and sand on flat
• Release bridle immediately if closing reeds to scrape
• To scrape center more, open lips wider than for playing with bridle, then sand or scrape
• If reeds are tuning sharp in the 2nd octave, for next reeds make chamber .005" shallower and/or 1/16" shorter
• If reeds are tuning flat in 2nd octave, make chamber up to 1/16" higher near to lips
• Flat overall pitch and back D: trim reed shorter, make next reed narrower if using the same tube of cane, increase chamber depth/roundess slightly in the upper end (but do not change top 4-6 mm).
• Back D far too sharp, hard D too difficult: too much curve in top end of reed. Take apart, moisten upper 1/4 of head, bind to original wide sanding cylinder firmly with teflon tape, let dry overnight, sand on cylinder using fine paper. Make future reeds leaving top end of chamber farther down from lips.
• Optional cane sealing: dip cane end in thin outdoor wood sealer or thin silicone polish, immediately blow out excess and pat dry, do not let chemicals contact your mouth.

1. Seth Gallagher's Reedmaking Web Site -- a different method based on the more common bending/formation which works when Penny-Chanter staple and cane outside dimensions are used as shown above. Does not involve carving a chamber.

Bottom of Chamber Style Reed for Penny-Chanters Page